In an outstanding thriller that literally went down to the final shot, Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens rallied from a 16-point deficit in the final 19 minutes to top Real Madrid 82-80 in the Greek capital on Friday. Panathinaikos improved to 6-3 and remained undefeated at home while Madrid dropped to 5-4. K.C. Rivers led the winners with 20 points.
James Gist had 15, Nick Calathes added 12 and eight assists while Chris Singleton got 10 points for Panathinaikos. Luka Doncic led Real Madrid with 19 points. Felipe Reyes and Trey Thompkins each added 12 for the guests. Doncic had 10 points in the opening quarter, getting help from Fabien Causeur and Walter Tavares to give the guests a 23-28 lead after 10 minutes. A three-pointer by Chasson Randle made it a double-digit game, 23-33, early in the second quarter. Trey Thompkins, Rudy Fernandez and Felipe Reyes stepped up to boost Madrid's margin to 40-56 right after the break. But Gist and Rivers fueled a 13-0 run that brought Panathinaikos back in the game. Singleton tied it at 62-62 but a three-pointer by Fernandez and a buzzer-beating jumper by Facu Campazzo restored a 64-69 Madrid lead after 30 minutes. A three-pointer by Rivers and a tip-in by Gist completed the hosts' comeback, 77-73. Doncic twice tied the game, but Gist drew a foul and was perfect from the line for an 82-80 lead with 15.5 seconds left, and Thompkins missed from downtown at the buzzer.
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